Air conditioning means



Dec. 24, 1957 H. E. WINKLER ETAL AIR CONDITIONING MEANS a/Fled July 1,1954 mid United States Patent AIR CONDITIONING MEANS Herman E. Winklerand Howard F. Murphy, Lebanon,

Ind., assignors to Stewart-Warner Corporation, Chrcago, Ill., acorporation of Virginia Application July 1, 1954, Serial No. 440,654

3 Claims. (Cl. 62-129) The present invention relates to the airconditioning of residential buildings and the like in which it isadvantageous to mount the condenser and other components of the coolingequipment in the attic space.

The use of attic installed air conditioning equipment is complicated byattic temperatures which are ordinarily much too high, particularly whenthe cooling load is the greatest, for efficient condenser cooling.Moreover, the installation of air conditioning equipment in the attic ofa completed building can be difficult and expensive.

Taking these considerations into account, one object of the invention isto provide an extremely practical and economical installation of airconditioning equipment in an attic, in which the air may be at arelatively high temperature, the installation including a condenserwhich is efiiciently cooled by the relatively cooler outside air.

A more specific object is to provide, in a very simple inexpensive way,for eflicient cooling of an attic installed condenser of airconditioning apparatus by outside air drawn in through a false chimneyused conventionally to surround a flue from the building heating unit.

Another object is to provide for efficient cooling in a building atticof an air conditioning unit condenser by outside air supplied throughsimple, economical means adapted for universal use with buildings havingwidely different roof pitches.

A further object is to provide for efilciently cooling a residentialtype building by an improved air conditioning unit specially suited foreasy installation in a ceiling support structure to support a condenserin the attic space and suspend a cooling evaporator below the ceiling.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptionof the form of the invention illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a partially sectioned elevational view showing oneembodiment of the invention incorporated into a single story residentialbuilding;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale ofthe air conditioning unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a simplified fragmentary plan view showing an intermediatestep in the installation of the air conditioning unit of Fig. 2 in aceiling opening in the building of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the airconditioning unit turned into its installed position; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical view, partially in section, showingmodified means for supplying outside cooling air to an attic installedcondenser.

As shown in the drawing, the air conditioning installation embodying theinvention is incorporated into a single story residential building 10. Apitched roof 12 on the building covers attic space 14 above a horizontalceiling structure 16. A vertical flue 18 from a combustion heater 20 inthe building extends up through the attic space 14 to project above theroof 12.

A generally square false chimney shroud 22, somewhat larger intransverse section than the flue 18, encases the flue above the roof 12and extends down through the roof for a substantial distance into theattic space 14. Ordinarily the shroud simulates a masonry chimney. Acover 24 over the upper end of the chimney shroud 22 is formed toprevent entrance of rain and snow while permitting free flow of outsideair into the space 25 within the shroud around the flue 18. Flue andchimney shroud assemblies of this general character are frequentlyinstalled in residential type buildings even though no air conditioningof the building is contemplated.

It is also customary to provide a somewhat rectangular access or scuttleopening 26 through the ceiling structure 16 to the attic space 14. Asindicated in Fig. 3, a typical access opening 26 is formed byeliminating a section of an intermediate joist 28 between two adjacentparallel joists 30 of the ceiling structure 16. Two spaced parallelcross pieces 32 secured to and extending between the two joists 30 areattached to the adjacent ends of the intermediate joist 28. Therectangular opening 26 thus formed is bounded at opposite sides by thecross pieces 32 and at opposite ends by the two joists 30.

Conceived for easy, economical installation and efficient operation inbuildings of this general character, an improved air conditioning unit34 provided by the invention is adapted to be readily mounted in theceiling opening 26 to support a condenser 36 of the unit in the atticspace 14 and suspend an evaporator 38 and a fan 40 below the ceiling 16.

A horizontally elongated head 42 on the upper end of the cooling unit 34is adapted to be lifted vertically through the rectangular opening 26(Fig. 3) and supported on the ceiling support structure 16 upon beingturned at a right angle to the axis of elongation of the ceiling opening(Fig. 4).

The head 42 comprises -a rectangular peripherally flanged metal plate 44somewhat smaller in length and width than the typical ceiling opening26. The length of the plate 44, however, is greater than the width ofthe ceiling opening 26 and extends beyond opposite sides of the openingupon being turned crosswise of the opening, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

Four supports 46 threaded into the four corners of the plate 44 extenddownwardly to shock mounts 47, which rest on elongated reinforcingmembers 48 laid on the ceiling support structure 16 below opposite endsof the plate 44. It necessary, the supports 46 are adjusted to level theunit.

The condenser 36 is mounted upright on one end of the plate 44 andsupplied with hot compressed refrigerant from a motor driven compressor52 on the other end of the plate.

Suitable frame members 54 fixed to the underside of the plate 44 extenddown through the ceiling opening 26 from the central portion of theplate to form a support neck (also denoted by the numerals 54) having amaximum horizontal dimension substantially less than the length of theplate 44 and, preferably, no greater than the width of the plate 44 sothat it may be turned freely in the ceiling opening 26 duringinstallation and removal of the cooling unit 34.

A drip pan 56 fixed to the lower end of the neck 54 supports an annularevaporator 38 below the sealing structure 16. Liquefied refrigerant fromthe condenser 36 is supplied to the evaporator 38 through a line 60, andvaporized refrigerant from the evaporator is returned to the condenser52 through a line 62.

A fan 40 centered substantially within the evaporator 38 is supportedand rotated by a shaft 66 extending downwardly from an electric motor 68mounted within the neck 54. The fan shown is of a combined axial andradial flow type designed to suck warm air from below the evaporator 38to flow radially outward around the evaporator coils, as indicated bythe arrows in Fig. 2.

Cooling air is drawn over the condenser 36 by a motor driven fan 69mounted on the compressor side of the condenser. Efficient operation ofthe air conditioning unit 34 is achieved by cooling the condenser 36with outside air at a temperature much lower than the ambienttemperature within the attic space 14.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the face of the condenser 36 remote from thefan 69 is connected with the lower end of the false chimney shroud 22 toreceive outside air through the passage 25 in the shroud surrounding theflue 18. A simple inexpensive duct 70 is all that is required to makethe connection between the condenser 36 and the false chimney 22.

Ordinarily the chimney 22 and the opening 26 in which the cooling unit34 is mounted are both located near the center of the building 19. Thisnot only simplifies the distribution of the cool air from the unit 34but it makes for a very short duct connection 70 between the condenser36 and the chimney. The short direct connection thus made through thefalse chimney 22 to the outside minimizes the air intake resistance andalso minimizes the heat absorption by the incoming air before flowingthrough the condenser 36.

When the unit is mounted above a hallway, for example, as shown in Figs.1 and 2, efiicient distribution of air cooled by the unit 34 is providedfor by simple ducting structure to grilled openings 80 near the tops ofroom walls 72. More particularly, air cooled over the evaporator 38passes between the ceiling structure 16 and a false ceiling 78 to thecold air outlets 86.

In review, it will be appreciated that installation of the airconditioning equipment described requires essentially that the coolingunit 34 be lifted up into the ceiling opening 26 (as shown in Fig. 3)and turned approximately 90 to the supported position shown in Fig. 4.The supports 46 are quickly adjusted to level the unit. A cooling airconnection from the false chimney 22 to the condenser 36 is made by theshort, simple duct 70. A suitable electric power supply (not shown) isprovided for the compressor 52 and fans 40 and 69. If desired, rock woolor other insulation 81 may be laid in the ceiling opening 26 around thecooling unit neck 54. The cold air distributing structure 78, 80 is theninstalled under the ceiling 1.6.

In buildings not equipped with false chimneys or the like, atticinstalled air conditioning condensers may be efiiciently cooled byoutside air brought in through moditied duct structure 82, as shown inFig. 5. Structural elements of this figure similar to those appearing inFig. 1 are indicated with the same reference numerals with the additionof letter a.

The air conditioning apparatus 84 mounted in the attic space 14a of Fig.5 includes a compressor 52a which receives vaporized refrigerant througha line 62a from an evaporator (not shown) separately mounted in thebuilding space below. From the compressor 52a the refrigerant enters anadjacent condenser 36a.

The duct structure 82 extends from the condenser 36a out through theroof 12a. The outer end of the duct structure protrudes through the roofand is protected by a suitable cover 86 shaped to provide for the freeflow of air into the duct. A universally adjustable elbow 88 built intothe duct structure 82 adapts the duct structure for use in buildingshaving roofs 12a of different pitches. A fan 69a draws outside airthrough the duct structure 82 and through the condenser 36a.

While we have shown and described preferred embodiments of ourinvention, it will be apparent that variations and modifications thereofmay be made without departing from the principles and scope of theinvention. We therefore desire, by the following claims, to include allsuch variations and modifications by which substantially the results ofour invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the sameor equivalent means.

We claim:

1. In a residential type building a ceiling structure, a rectangularopening in the ceiling structure, and an air conditioning unit mountedso as to project through the opening, said air conditioning unitcomprising a head portion including a compressor, a condenser connectedto the refrigerant outlet from the compressor, and a fan positioned toblow air across said condenser, said head portion including a supportmember mounting said compressor, said condenser and said fan on itsupper side and having a horizontal elongated shape and horizontaldimensions smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the ceilingopening and with the long dimension of said support member greater thanthe short dimension of the ceiling opening so that said head portion canbe inserted through the ceiling opening from below and turned throughabout ninety degrees so that said support member may rest upon and besupported by the ceiling structure at the sides of the ceiling opening,a hanger structure depending from said support member and through theceiling opening and having a maximum horizontal dimension in anydirection less than the smaller dimension of said support member topermit turning said unit with said hanger structure in the ceilingopening, an evaporator suspended by said hanger structure at the underside of the ceiling and connected between the condenser and the inlet tothe compressor, and a fan supported from the underside of said supportmember and positioned to blow air across said evaporator.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, including short duct work atthe under side of the ceiling communicating with said evaporator tocarry conditioned air away from said evaporator under the force of saidsecond named fan.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, including a duct extending froma point outside the building to and communicating with the condenser toconduct air blown across said condenser by said first named fan to saidpoint outside the building.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,180,915 Stebbins Nov. 21, 1939 2,247,028 Kuntz June 24, 1941 2,363,839Dernuth Nov. 28, 1944 2,475,841 Jones July 12, 1949 2,682,757 BorgerdJuly 6, 1954

